The Philippine National Police (PNP) has filed criminal and administrative charges against two police master sergeants who were tagged as among those who shot dead a police captain who engaged their relatives in a shootout in Parang, Maguindanao last week.
PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said the two cops are now detained in a police station in Maguindanao while a manhunt was already launched against three of their relatives who fired shots at Police Capt. Roland Moralde, a member of the Regional Mobile Force Company (RMFB) 14 at the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Moralde responded to a call on the man, later identified as Mohiden Ramalan Untal, who was carrying a handgun at the public market of Parang town on May 2.
A shootout later occurred between the two and during the gunfight, five relatives of Untal arrived and started shooting Moralde who was already wounded during that time.
Two of the gunmen were later identified as policemen.
“We have witnessed who identified them, aside from the CCTV footage which positively identified them,” said Fajardo.
Fajardo said the two policemen told the investigators that they will face the charges leveled against them, including the administrative cases with a maximum penalty of dismissal from the service.
“On the part of the PNP, regardless if they are policemen, we have sufficient pieces of evidence against them,” said Fajardo.
“In fact, we even appreciate the aggravating circumstances that they are police officers. They were supposed to diffuse the tension during that time but they appear to be the ones who aggravated the situation that led to the death of Captain Moralde,” she added
Citing CCTV footage they obtained, Fajardo said Moralde already fell on the ground but the suspects continue shooting him.